A K Antony calls for opposition unity in face of Rahul's disqualification, son Anil sings different tune

His son Anil Antony, however, said the Congress should stop focusing on the gaffes of an individual and instead work on issues of the country.Stating that democracy in the country was in danger, A K Antony said the Congress would fight both politically and legally against the BJPs concerted efforts to silence and weaken Rahul Gandhi.

Senior Congress leader and former Defence Minister A K Antony has appealed to all opposition parties in the country to come together despite their differences and to fight against the anti-democratic acts of the present BJP government, in the face of the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Lok Sabha. His son Anil Antony, however, said the Congress should stop focusing on the ''gaffes of an individual'' and instead work on issues of the country.

Stating that democracy in the country was in danger, A K Antony said the Congress would fight both politically and legally against the BJP's concerted efforts to silence and weaken Rahul Gandhi. ''Democracy is in danger in India. So all those parties must forget their differences. First thing's first, we must protect our democracy and our Constitution. So, all opposition parties must unite and we must fight against this mischievous move by the present government. This is my appeal,'' A K Antony said, addressing the media at the KPCC headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram.

The former Union Minister said what has been happening in New Delhi for the past few weeks was a matter of concern not just for the Congress but for the ''whole democratic forces of this country and for those people who want to safeguard democracy and the Constitution and its values.'' Stating that more than 30 cases had been registered against Rahul Gandhi in the past two years in courts all over the country by BJP and RSS, he said, ''There is a concerted effort to silence Rahul Gandhi, to weaken Rahul Gandhi. It is a conspiracy.

''Nobody can silence Rahul Gandhi or Congress. We will continue to fight against the wrong policies of the government more vigorously.'' Pointing out that the case in contention against Rahul Gandhi was registered in Gujarat for a comment he had made in Karnataka in 2019, A K Antony said, ''No case was taken against Rahul Gandhi in Karnataka. Normally, a case has to be registered in a state, where the course of action takes place. But in Karnataka, there is no case. Instead of that, in Surat in Gujarat, they filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi.'' In another similar instance, he pointed out, Delhi police too had gone to the residence of Rahul Gandhi 45 days after he made a comment about some happenings in Kashmir on the concluding day of Bharat Jodo Yatra. ''Kashmir police have not registered a case against Rahul Gandhi,'' he said.

Accusing the Modi government of trying to control India's democracy, and attempting to establish a controlled democracy in the country, A K Antony said it was high time that all opposition political parties unite against it. ''It is dangerous,'' he said. Meanwhile his son Anil Antony on Friday said that the grand old party should stop focussing on ''gaffes and bloopers of an individual'', referring to Rahul Gandhi's predicament, and said the Congress should instead work on issues of the country.

Anil's remarks came in response to a tweet by Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh that the party will fight Gandhi's disqualification ''both legally and politically'' and that it ''will not be intimidated or silenced''. ''We will fight this battle both legally and politically. We will not be intimidated or silenced. Instead of a JPC into the PM-linked Adani MahaMegaScam, @RahulGandhi stands disqualified. Indian Democracy Om Shanti.'' Ramesh tweeted along with an image of the Lok Sabha Secretariat notification about Gandhi's disqualification.

Responding to this, Anil tweeted, ''The plight of @incindia from 2014, especially post 2017, is a sad case study. The party ideally should stop focussing on the gaffes and bloopers of an individual and work on the issues of the country. Else won't exist beyond 2024.'' Earlier Antony's son had courted controversy when he tweeted against the BBC documentary -- 'India: The Modi Question' -- on the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Subsequently, he resigned from his posts in KPCC Digital Media and AICC Social Media and Digital Communications Cell following ''intolerant calls'' and ''abuses'' over his tweet against the controversial BBC documentary. He, however, has not given up the primary membership of the party.

In his tweet against the documentary, he had said that despite large differences with the BJP, those who support and place the views of the British broadcaster and of former UK foreign secretary Jack Straw, the ''brain behind the Iraq war'' (involving the US-led coalition in 2003), over Indian institutions were setting a dangerous precedent.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)